8 Reasons to Start Writing Today (Even If You're Not a Natural)

If you are slowly but surely coming to terms with the reality that you are not a natural writer, don't fret. Many people face setbacks, shortcomings, and doubts along the way. Honing your craft as a writer and committing your thoughts to the page can do wonders for your personal well-being, your career, and your sense of fulfillment. But you must let go of whatever lingering doubts prevent you from giving it your all. Need inspiration? The great ones do, too. Consider these eight reasons to begin writing today—professionally, for pleasure, or both.

1. You'll Find Parts of Yourself You Never Knew Existed

Writing is a process of self-discovery. Even if no other person ever reads a single word you write, the act of writing itself can be an inner journey of uncovering aspects of your personality, your inner monologue, your very soul, that you never knew existed.

2. You'll Inspire People You'll Never Meet

If your work is published, you'll almost certainly inspire people you've never met and may never meet. Authors like entrepreneur Derek Handley, who was not a professionally trained writer before putting his memoir to paper, tell unconventional stories that deserve to be told. Handley's story of one entrepreneur's journey has undoubtedly inspired others to follow in his footsteps. What will your story be, and who will it inspire?

3. You'll Persuade Others (Or Fail But Learn in the Process)

Persuasion is just another flavor of inspiration. With the right training and tools, every aspiring author has a knack for persuasive writing just waiting to surface. For those who haven't quite perfected that knack, every attempt is a unique learning opportunity.

4. It's More Efficient Than Talking to Yourself

Many amateur writers begin as diarists. Many continue with this habit long after they're busy with 'publishable' projects. And why shouldn't they? Writing is therapy, and far more efficient as such than talking to oneself. One shouldn't substitute writing for professional therapy, of course, but the act itself is undeniably therapeutic.

5. You'll Supplement Your Income (If You Try)

Aspiring writers don't have to write for money, even if writing for free isn't advisable for those aiming to make a career in the field. Never give away something of value, they say. But if you do choose to market your writing skills for pay, you won't want for choice. Many beginners start with big freelance-friendly talent networks like UpWork and build their clientele from there.

6. You'll Improve Your Ability to Organize Your Thoughts

Any diarist knows that writing is a great way to organize one's thoughts. Whether you choose to write professionally or not, the very act of writing is sure to help you make sense of it all. That, in turn, might be just what's needed for you to reach previously unattainable personal and professional opportunities.

7. You'll Find Now-Reachable Professional Opportunities

When it comes to current opportunities, 'strong written communication' is a prerequisite for many supervisory roles. But good writing isn't only a punchcard for the next rung on the corporate ladder. It's also a valuable asset for professionals making their own way through the talent marketplace—the sharpest arrow in the personal branding quiver, you might say.

8. You'll Leave a Record of Who You Are

Nothing lasts forever; but writers tend to leave deeper, longer-lasting marks than those who choose to remain silent. If that sounds appealing to you, well, you know what to do.

Dance like no one is watching, they say. And surely you've done just that when you truly are sure no one is watching. Should you allow your writing habit, and perhaps your future writing career, to be guided by the same counsel? Yes, you should write like no one is reading. And, at least in the beginning, you will find it easiest to do just that. As you hone your craft, you'll gather the confidence to emerge from the cloak of anonymity and write not just with an audience in mind but with the expectation that said audience will read, absorb, and love your work. Perhaps it sounds like an impossible dream as you sit here today, but great things are possible with great will. Writing is no different, natural or not.